Major work on the West Coast main line between Rugby and Milton Keynes has been completed.

The railway has reopened after a £2 million investment to make future journeys through Northamptonshire more reliable for passengers and freight.

During a nine-day closure of the West Coast main line, four kilometres of railway was improved.

This involved drainage channels being installed and railway stone - called ballast - being cleaned, to stop heavy rain from flooding the economically important railway link.


A huge ballast cleaning train was used to clear debris from the stone beneath the railway.

Cleaning the stones allows rainwater to drain away faster and makes the track more stable.

James Dean, route director for Network Rail’s West Coast South route, said: "We know this work has meant longer journeys for some passengers, so I’d like to thank everyone impacted for bearing with us while we carried out this important work.

"We worked closely with train operators to keep people on the move and now this work is done this vital section of the West Coast main line is better protected from adverse weather for passengers and freight services."